Systems, methods, devices and arrangements for cost-effective routing
Assignee8x8, Inc.
InventorsMarc Petit-Huguenin, Garth Judge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for assessing and/or controlling call routing for Internet-based (e.g., VoIP/VioIP) calls. According to one such method, endpoint devices are used to monitor and/or assess the call-quality. The assessment is sent to a centralized server arrangement and call-routing is controlled therefrom. Endpoint devices employ a decentralized testing mechanism to further monitor and assess call quality. Aspects of call quality are analyzed and attributed to endpoint devices and/or local connections or networks to distinguish intermediate routing issues from local/endpoint issues.
Claims22
A method for use in a data-communications system to provide call routing on behalf of a plurality of endpoint devices each having an Internet Protocol (IP) interface and each further having an audio circuit to transform between audible sounds and electrical signals, the method comprising:
- measuring, via a computer-processor circuit, a plurality of call quality factors for a call implemented using the IP interface;
- outputting data representing the plurality of call quality factors, via data-output circuitry and using the IP interface, thereby generating output data representing the plurality of call quality factors;
- isolating perceived call quality issues associated with the audio circuits from transmission related call-quality;
- and
- via at least one server, accessing a database containing metrics, associated with call quality and/or call costs, for call-routing options, and also via said at least one server:
- receiving the-output data representing the plurality of call quality factors from each endpoint device participating in the calls to which the output data applies, and
- selecting a second call route for a subsequent call based on data indicative of a correlation between different portions of a first call route for the call and each of the call quality factors for the first call route, and based on at least some of the metrics for each portion of the second call route for the subsequent call.
A data-communications system to provide call routing on behalf of a plurality of endpoint devices, the data-communications system comprising:
- the plurality of endpoint devices, each of the plurality of endpoint devices having an Internet Protocol (IP) interface and each further having an audio circuit to transform between audible sounds and electrical signals;
- a computer-processor circuit to measure a plurality of call quality factors for a call implemented using the IP interface;
- data-output circuitry to output data, using the IP interface, representing the plurality of call quality factors;
- data-processing circuitry to isolate perceived call quality issues associated with the audio circuits from transmission related call-quality;
- and
- at least one server to access a database containing metrics, associated with call quality and/or call costs, for call-routing options, and to
- receive the-output data representing the plurality of call quality factors from each endpoint device participating in the calls to which the output data applies, and
- select a second call route for a subsequent call based on data indicative of a correlation between different portions of a first call route for the call and each of the call quality factors for the first call route, based on a moving or changing criteria that is associated with historic sampling which places a nonlinear weighting on most recent samples, and based on at least some of the metrics for each portion of the second call route for the subsequent call.
A data-communications system to provide call routing on behalf of a plurality of endpoint devices each having an Internet Protocol (IP) interface and each further having an audio circuit to transform between audible sounds and electrical signals, the data-communications system comprising:
- a computer-processor circuit to measure a plurality of call quality factors for a call implemented using the IP interface;
- data-output circuitry to output data, using the IP interface, representing the plurality of call quality factors;
- data-processing circuitry to isolate perceived call quality issues associated with the audio circuits from transmission related call-quality;
- and
- at least one server to access a database containing metrics, associated with call quality and/or call costs, for call-routing options, and to
- receive the output data representing the plurality of call quality factors from each endpoint device participating in the calls to which the output data applies, and
- select a second call route for a subsequent call based on data indicative of a correlation between different portions of a first call route for the call and each of the call quality factors for the first call route, and based on at least some of the metrics for each portion of the second call route for the subsequent call.
A storage device including instructions which, in response to being executed by a computing-processor circuit, prompts or causes a method to be carried out, the method comprising:
- measuring a plurality of call quality factors for a call, among a plurality of calls routed on behalf of a plurality of endpoint devices each having an Internet Protocol (IP) interface and each further having circuitry to transform between audible sounds and electrical signals;
- outputting data representing the plurality of call quality factors and thereby generating output data representing the plurality of call quality factors;
- isolating perceived call quality issues associated with audio circuits of the plurality of endpoint devices from transmission related call-quality;
- and
- accessing a database containing metrics, associated with call quality and/or call costs, for call-routing options and:
- receiving the-output data representing the plurality of call quality factors from each endpoint device participating in the calls to which the output data applies, and
- selecting a second call route for a subsequent call based on data indicative of a correlation between different portions of a first call route for the call and each of the call quality factors for the first call route, and based on at least some of the metrics for each portion of the second call route for the subsequent call.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.